The beginnings of HOTCHKISS go back to 1993 when two students at Tulane University in New Orleans, Louisiana started writing songs together. Art Boonparn and Tom Bell shared a loved for music especially the Cars and the Modern Lovers. Art had of the idea of one day doing a band called HOTCHKISS (named after a boarding school in Connecticut) so when he met Tom he realized it was time. Tom eventually relocated to Amherst, Massachusetts to pursue a graduate degree leaving Art with a handfull of songs. It was not until the fall of '96 that HOTCHKISS resurfaced when Art wrote and recorded a song about a girl he would see walking by his work several times a week. Friend and co-worker, Chris Kirsch (now of Root Beer Extract Records) took a tape of the unnamed song unbeknownst to Art to WTUL, the local college radio station where it became an instant hit. Chris also gave the song a title, "Monday Wednesday Friday". Pressure to peform live due to the song's success, brought HOTCHKISS out of the bedroom and onto the stage. Thus giving another side to HOTCHKISS. The most recent line up included Art's friends from other bands: Tommy Meunier on guitar, Zack LeBlanc on drums, and the departed Bass player, Brian Alexander. Brian left on good terms and has been replaced by Jay Thomas a local hipster on bass and organ. Seems like it had been a long time from the inception of HOTCHKISS until the first official HOTCHKISS release. I guess that's how things are done in New Orleans. The "Sincerity" cassette and CD a co-release on two local labels, Root Beer Extract Records and Turducken Recordings contains songs that represent both sides of HOTCHKISS, a continuing debate of the full band versus the bedroom four tracks. Nonetheless, both sides contain something special a "je ne sais quoi" if you will of pop songs with plenty of hooks and honest lyrics. The future for HOTCHKISS is to continue writing and performing. The next release will be a split 45 with ROTARY DOWNS, a new New Orleans band, whose singer was the first HOTCHKISS drummer back when Tom Bell was around. Art has continued writing songs and occasionally plays solo at the Mermaid Lounge, the band's second home. His only regret is that he never thanked girl that inspired "Monday Wednesday Friday".

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